Basic Peanut Butter Cookies

1. Beat one stick of unsalted butter that has been brought to room temperature in a mixing bowl with a stand or hand mixer set to medium to medium-high speed until it is light and fluffy. Add 1/2 cup of white sugar and 1/2 cup of light brown sugar that has been packed. Continue beating on medium to medium-high to combine the ingredients.

2. Add one egg and continue beating on medium speed. Leave the mixer beating on low speed and pour in 1 tsp. of vanilla and 1 cup of peanut butter - use either creamy or crunchy peanut butter depending on your taste preference.

3. Continue beating it on low speed while you add 1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour, 3/4 tsp. of baking soda and 3/4 tsp. of salt - one at a time. Mix the ingredients until they come together.

4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with wax paper or a silicone baking mat.

5. Scoop out the dough using a tablespoon measuring spoon. Level off the dough so you have uniform-sized cookies. Roll the dough into a firm ball.

6. Pour 1/2 cup of sugar into a saucer. Dip the ball into the sugar and roll it around to coat the entire ball. Place the ball on the baking sheet. Continue with the remaining dough and space the balls 3 inches apart. Store any leftover dough in the refrigerator as the first pan of cookies bake.

7. Press each cookie flat with the tines of a fork. Turn the fork across the indentations and press it again to give the cookies the traditional peanut butter cookie detailing.

8. Bake the cookies for seven to nine minutes, or until the edges begin to brown. Let the cookies cool on a wire baking rack.

With Chocolate Chips

1. Mix the cookies according to the previous recipe, except add 3 tbsp. of milk to the mixture when you add the vanilla.

2. Fold in 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips into the batter after you have achieved the dough stage.

3. Forgo rolling the balls of cookie dough in sugar. Scoop out cookie dough using a tablespoon measuring spoon. Roll the dough into a ball and place on the baking sheet.

4. Flatten the top of the cookies with the back of the measuring spoon; these do not have to be uniformly flat since the chocolate chips will cause some to be lumpier than others.

5. Bake according to the basic peanut butter cookie section.

Dip the Cookies

1. Bake the cookies according to the first section. Allow them to cool completely.

2. Melt 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir the chips to melt any unmelted chips. Return the chips to the microwave for 15 second intervals until they are all melted.

3. Dip each cookie halfway into the melted chocolate to coat half of the cookie. Return the dipped cookie to the baking sheet that is lined with wax paper or a silicone baking mat. Allow the chocolate to cool and harden before storing or serving the cookies.